Hepatic injury can be caused by a number of different agents including viruses such as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, chemical agents such as ethanol, carbon tetrachloride and lead, and by physical trauma resulting in ischemia (ischemic hepatitis) injuries as can occur in right-sided congestive heart failure. It is now believed that all of these types of hepatic injury are caused at least in part by the liver's inflammatory or cytokine response to these agents. The inflammatory response of the liver results in the overexpression of a cascade of inflammatory/acute phase cytokines, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-6, IL-8 and transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). It is now believed that it is the cascade of these cytokines which is the ultimate cause of much of the hepatic injury resulting from these agents. Thus, there is a need for a therapeutic agent which can be useful in alleviating or modulating the inflammatory response associated with liver disease or injury.